Latrobe will be ridden by Mark Zahra, who replaces the suspended Hugh Bowman.

O'Brien praised Charlie Appleby's effort to win the Cup with Cross Counter, a veteran of just seven starts pre-race.

"Fair play to Charlie and his team," O'Brien said.

"They did a fantastic job.

"They mapped out a plan and it was a plan well executed."

Joseph O'Brien claimed the Melbourne Cup last year. Pic: AAP

Aidan O'Brien has four runners in the $1 million VRC Sprint - US Navy Flag, Spirit Of Valor, Intelligence Cross and Fleet Review.

Intent on cramming more trophies into a bulging cabinet, Appleby hopes to bookend the spring carnival with Group 1 glory at Flemington on Saturday.

Appleby will saddle Blair House in the $2 million Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) and Jungle Cat in the $1 million VRC Sprint Classic (1200m).

With victories already in the Melbourne Cup with Cross Counter and the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with Jungle Cat, Appleby has been the most successful of the marauding international trainers.

Sharing the spoils with Saeed bin Suroor (Caulfield Cup with Best Solution and Caulfield Stakes with Benbatl) and Charlie Fellowes (Lexus Stakes with A Prince Of Arran), Appleby will fly his team back to Dubai on Sunday.